The present invention is directed toward a device for holding containers and, more particularly, toward a device for holding containers of different sizes and shapes.
Transporting containers from one location to another is an event that occurs multitudes of times daily. It may take the form of transporting a cooked food product from an oven or stove to a table for serving, or transporting uncooked food products to an area for cooking. An example of the latter case would be transporting uncooked meats, basting sauces, etc., from inside a house to a barbecue or grill outside of the house where the food will be prepared. Problems often arise when a food container is placed on a carrying device for transport thereof. The person transporting the container of food on the carrying device must be sure to maintain the carrying device in a level condition to prevent the food container from sliding off. This becomes a particular problem when more than one container of food is carried on a carrying device. The person must be sure to strategically disburse the weight of the various food containers equally across the surface of the carrying device for maintaining the carrying device in a level condition. Even then, a slight movement of the carrying device may shift the weight of the food containers resulting in any or all of the food containers sliding off the carrying device. The same concept applies to the transport of containers housing multitudes of contents other than food.
In the case of hot food dishes, the temperature of the food container must also be taken into account. Hotplates, as they are commonly referred to, are generally used to support cookware dishes on a table or countertop, thus shielding the table or countertop from the heat of the cookware dish. A hotplate generally consists of a piece of insulating material typically having legs extending from a bottom surface spacing the hotplate from the tabletop or countertop. At mealtime, food products may be prepared in the cookware, or casserole, dish, and the casserole dish carried to the table and placed on the hotplate for serving. Since the casserole dish will presumably be hot, the hotplate is necessary to shield the tabletop from the heat associated with the casserole dish. The same is true if the casserole dish is allowed to cool on a countertop for a few minutes prior to serving. Upon the casserole dish, including the prepared food product, being placed on the table, those consuming the meal may take servings sized to their respective appetites.
Problems often arisen when a particular food product is prepared at one location and transported to a different location. For instance, consider a food product initially permitted to cool on a countertop prior to serving, such as casseroles, brownies, etc. Since the dish or pan in which the food product was prepared will still be hot, a person must lift the dish or pan using oven mitts, or the like, and transport not only the dish or pan but also the hotplate to the table so that the tabletop is not damaged by the heat of the dish or pan being placed thereupon. This may either require two people, one for the dish or pan and one for the hotplate, or two hotplates, one on the countertop and one on the table.
The problem of transporting food products, hot and cold, is particularly prevalent during holidays or other special occasions where there is a large gathering of people. Typically, the various individuals attending the gathering will each prepare a food product, e.g., entree, appetizer, dessert, etc., which must then be transported to the gathering location for consumption by those attending. Conventional hotplates and other carrying devices are inadequate for such transportation since they only provide for vertical support of the food container. If transportation of the food container is by vehicle, the food container will simply slide off conventional hotplates or other conventional carrying devices upon the vehicle making a turn or a sudden start or stop. If there is no lid for the food container, as is typically the case for a pie or cake, or if the lid is on loosely, this may result in considerable mess to the vehicle.
An alternative means of transporting a food container by vehicle is for a person to hold the food container, using oven mitts or the like if the container is hot, on his or her lap, or to place the food container on the floor of the vehicle and prevent the food container from lateral movement with his or her feet or hands. This can be considerably burdensome, especially if the distance to be traveled is long. Moreover, holding the food container on the lap of the person may result in injury to the person if the food in the container is hot and spillage results.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the above-mentioned problems.
A holder device is provided for holding containers of different sizes and shapes including, but not limited to, cups, plates, dishes and cookware. The holder device includes a base for supporting containers of different sizes and shapes, the base including at least three slots extending radially from a common center point. At least three pegs are provided which are slidably received, one each, in the at least three slots. Each of the at least three pegs are independently securable against sliding movement in a plurality of positions along the lengths of the at least three slots to accommodate containers of various sizes and shapes. The at least three pegs are laterally engageable with a side periphery of a particular container when the container is supported on the base. Upon engagement with the container side periphery, the at least three pegs are secured from sliding movement to secure the particular container against lateral movement while supported on the base.
Each of the at least three pegs, when received in the at least three slots, are independently rotatable between a first position defining a slidingly moveable position and a second position defining a secured position wherein the peg is prevented from sliding movement. In the first position, the at least three pegs may be slidingly moved along the lengths of the slots to engage a side periphery of a container supported on the base. The at least three pegs may then be rotated to the second position to secure the container supported on the base from lateral movement.
In one form, the at least three pegs are secured against sliding movement the via frictional forces developed between the at least three pegs and slot slides with the at least three pegs in the second position.
In another form, the at least three pegs are independently securable against sliding movement in an infinite number of positions along the lengths of the at least three slots to accommodate containers of various sizes and shapes.
In still another form, the at least three slots include T-slots having a wide base region, a narrow neck region, and a pair of shoulder surfaces separating the regions. The at least three pegs include a cooperating T-shaped section having a wide base portion and a narrow neck portion. The wide base portion has a first dimension slightly narrower than the narrow neck region and a second dimension slightly wider than the wide base region. The narrow neck portion is sized to slide in the narrow neck region. With the at least three pegs rotated to the first position, the wide base portion is positioned to pass through the narrow neck region of the T-slot to be received therein. With the at least three pegs received in the T-slots and rotated to the second position, the wide base portion frictionally engages slot sides defining the wide base region securing the at least three pegs against sliding movement.
In yet another form, ends of the wide base portion defining the second dimension include a compressible material. With the at least three pegs received in the T-slots and in the second position, the compressible material is compressed by the slot sides defining the wide base region developing frictional forces therebetween to frictionally secure the at least three pegs against sliding movement.
In a further form, the wide base portion of the T-shaped section includes a top surface with a compressible material provided thereon, with the second dimension of the wide base portion sized slightly narrower than the wide base region but wider than the narrow neck region. With the at least three pegs received in the T-slots and in the second position, the at least three pegs are secured against sliding movement via frictional forces developed between the pair of shoulder surfaces and the compressible material provided on the top surface of the wide base portion.
In still a further form, with the at least three pegs received in the T-slots and in the second position, the at least three pegs are secured against sliding movement via cooperating structures formed on the base and the T-shaped section. The cooperating structures may include, for example, cooperating detents and projections.
In yet a further form, the at least three slots do not extend radially from a common center point but rather include a plurality of slots formed in the base, either randomly or in the form of a design, such that containers of different sizes and shapes may be supported on the base and secured against lateral movement.
The base preferably is made of a heat insulating material, such as wood, plastic, and the like.
In a preferred form, the at least three radially extending slots are spaced equidistantly apart on the base.
The base preferably is rectangular in shape and includes handles for carrying the holder with a container securely supported thereon.
It is object of the present invention to provide a holder for a casserole dish or other container of food for safe and easy transport of the container of food.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a holder for securely holding in an upright position food containers of different sizes and shapes.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a holder for securely transporting hot containers of food.
Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims.